Anoijew b



(No Model'.)

W. H. FORCE & M. 0. PARENTEAU.

EYELET.

No. 550,958. I Patented Dec. 10

ANDRIIEW B.GRAI|AM.PHUTD'LITNQWASNINFI'ON. 0.0

, layer upon all sides of the metallic flange to UNITED Y STATES W'ILLIAM II. FORCE AND MAXIME O. PARENTEAU, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSA PATENT OFFICE.

CIIUSETTS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO A. DWIGHT CUTLER, OF SAME PLACE.

EYELET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,958, dated December 10, 1895.

Application filed Ap l 1 1395:

To all 2071,0741 it may concern.-

Be it known that we, VVILLIAM H. Foncn and MAXIME O. PARENTEAU, citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, Hampden county, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Eyelets, of which the following is a specification.

Our improvements relate to the construction of an eyelet, the object being to provide an eyelet with a covered head of plastic material extending in a continuous and unbroken the tube of the eyelet and one which will present a smooth flat bearing-surface upon the under side of the head.

The invention consists in the combination and construction hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure I is a top plan view of an uncovered eyelet. Fig. II is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. III is a side elevation of the same. Fig. IV is a top plan view of a covered eyelet. Fig. V is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. VI is a vertical central section of the two dies removed, with the eyelet and the cover-blank in position to be operated upon by the dies. Fig. VII is a vertical central section through the closed dies and through the combined eyelet and cover. Fig. VIII is a side elevation of the covered eyelet, and Fig. IX is a plan view of the plastic blank before being combined with the eyelet.

Referring to the drawings, much enlarged from the natural size, the uncovered eyelet, of thin sheet metal, preferably brass, consists of the tube portion a, flange b, and collar c. The eyelet, drawn in the usual way from the sheet-brass, is in the last process of the drawing struck up to have the collar 0 formed as shown more particularly in Fig. III, so that when the tube a is fitted into a corresponding opening in a back die D the collar, resting upon the face of the die, will set off the flange 6 clear from the face of the die, as shown in Figs. VI and VII. The flange b is scalloped at one or more places in its perimeter, as seen at d, for the purpose of anchoring the covering and preventing it from rotating upon the eyelet. A projection or spur from either face of the flange would Serial No- 545,8'76. (No model.)

serve the same purpose of locking the covering to the flange; but by extending entirely or partially through the covering would materially weaken it, so that notches or scallops, as shown at d, are preferred. The eyelet so formed with an external collar 0 is inserted in a back die to have its flange I; set off from the face thereof, and a washer of plastic material, such as will flow under heat, is laid over the flange b to cover the same. A heated face die is then brought over the plastic washer and in contact with the back die D and the plastic material flows around the flange to form a continuous and unbroken cover h, which on the under side of the eyelet is flush with the shoulder of collar 0, as shown in Figs. V and VIII, and which presents a smooth flat bearing to rest against the leather of the shoe.

It is found in practice that where the continuity of the plastic cover upon the under side of the head of the eyelet is interrupted by corrugations or other projections numerous edges of the covering are presented to be acted upon by the movement and working of the leather of a shoe in contact with the eyelet, with the result that the covering is entirely broken off, and it is to obviate this difficulty that a uniformly thick covering is provided, as well as a flat bearing-surface, for the under side of the head. That is one of the main objects of our improvements.

The dies shown in Figs. VI and VII form the subject-matter of an application for patent now before the Office, and bearing Serial WILLIAM H. FORCE. MAXIME O. PABENTEAU.

"Witnesses B. F. HYDE, PENN TYLER. 

